Chronic or severe back pain is the leading disease that causes disability, obstructing people to get to work and doing daily activities. Back pain affects people of all ranges of age starting from children to the elderly, and experts stated that 80% of people will experience back pain at a certain time in their life.
Aside from disabling people to go to work, back pain is also followed by constant discomfort and sleep deprivation. If it’s left untreated, back pain and sleep deprivation can lead to a lethal outcome. To ease the pain during the night, back pain sufferers can begin by replacing their old mattress with the right one.
By sleeping on the right mattress, you can reduce your nightly pain and be more alert during the day. Additionally, sleeping on the right mattress is also a part of back pain medication, thus helping you to improve your back condition.
Mattresses for people with severe back pain heavily depend on the thickness, density, firmness, material, as well as your weight and sleeping position. Before going to a list of product recommendations, read below for a glimpse of back pain causes, symptoms, and various treatments and medications that you can reach out to.
What Makes a Good Mattress
The omnipresent, determining question… but what makes a good mattress, a “good” mattress?
Not many realize this, but the quality of a mattress directly affects your sleep quality. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of the mattress you purchase. Generally, there are no specific criteria for a perfect mattress–it all depends on your preference. However, there are some requirements that a mattress should have to be considered good for your delicate back.
Determining the best mattress for your body is a challenging task as well. You need to consider your weight, pressure points, and preferred sleeping position.
If you’re wondering whether your mattress is qualified or not, look at these several top criteria for a great mattress.
- When you’re suffering from severe back pain, make sure that your mattress can support your entire body. A great mattress for back pain will be able to create a proper spinal alignment in whatever position you’re sleeping in.
- A good mattress is medium in firmness. An overly soft mattress will damage your posture and leave your pressure points unprotected. In contrast, an overly firm mattress will also damage your back and disturb your sleep.
While the firmness and softness of a mattress heavily depend on personal preference, it’s better to know what your body needs so that your spinal health and posture are maintained well.
A mattress specifically designed for back pain has a big chance of installing the points above to create a healthy environment for back pain sufferers.
Signs that Your Mattress Needs a Replacement
Do you know that your back pain might be caused by your own bed? According to research, there’s a big chance that a restless sleep and cranky morning of back pain are inflicted by your mattress.
If you’re sleeping with your partner, observe the way they sleep at night. Do they show a sign of discomfort? Do they jolt and toss around? If so, it is a sign for replacing your mattress.
Additionally, you need to consider replacing your bed as well if it starts to “swallow” you. An overly soft bed will lead to bad posture and continuous back pain that can lead to more severe issues.
You might love your mattress, but there’s no guarantee that it loves you back. It’s better to acknowledge the signs directly and solve them by replacing your mattress.
What Causes Back Pain?
Millions of Americans suffer from back pain every day, and you won’t be an exception. You might wonder, why back pain could occur? What triggers it?
Since human is comprised of many complicated structures of ligaments, bones, tendons, muscles, and disks, many causes can lead to back pain, here are some of them:
Strain
The most often cause of back pain, strains can lead to something more serious if left untreated. Strains can happen when you lift something heavy improperly, something too heavy, or when you’re enacting an awkward or weird movement.
Aside from muscle strain, some other common causes that lead to back pains are muscle spasms, tension, damaged disks, or injury from falling or accident.
Structural Problem
Different from strains, the structural problem usually happens from the inside. Whether it’s triggered by a body deformation or bought by genetics, here are some of the structural problems that lead to back pain:
- Ruptured disks: Since each vertebra in your spine is protected by the disks, if your disk is worn and torn, there’ll be more pressure on the nerves; resulting in back pain.
- Bulging disks: There are usually no symptoms shown for bulging disks. However, you’ll feel the way your spine pressures your nerves. If left untreated, a bulging disk can lead to serious injury.
- Arthritis: A joint problem, arthritis can cause problems with the joints in the hips, lower back, and other spots. In some cases, the joint narrows down and damages your back.
- Osteoporosis: Bones, like other things, can wear and become porous with time. When the bone brittles and become too thin, fractures can come more easily.
- Sciatica: Caused by a bulging disk, sciatica is when you feel a sharp pain traveling from your buttock to your back.
Lifestyle Triggers
While it seems superficial, back pain can be caused by things you do and the things you don’t do. If you have an unlikely day-to-day habit, it can contribute much to your excruciating back pain, here are some of them.
- Slouching at your desk while working
- Lifting an overly heavy object
- Lacking physical activity
- Smoking
- Obesity or overweight
- Wearing heels
Back Pain Symptoms
The main symptoms of back pain is a surge of pain on your back–starting from the buttock or feet and crawl up to your spine. However, it can affect other parts of your body as well depending on which nerves are damaged.
While back pain can go on and off for some people, some others experience continuous pain that needs to be addressed by doctors. If left untreated, severe back pain can cause fever, difficulty in urinating and bowel movements and numbness.
What is the Best Mattress for Back Pain
Now that you know what it takes to be a good mattress, what causes back pain, and how to spot it, it’s time to delve into the more specific part.
Whether you’re suffering from back pain or not, you’ll likely spend most of your nighttime on your bed. Therefore, your bed could be the culprit of your back pain or the reason why it’s gotten worse.
Since the right mattress for back pain is a vital key to recovery, here are some of the best mattresses for back pain to support your spine and engulf it in comfort.
Tempur-Pedic Topper Supreme
Suffering from back pain and would like to add extra comfort to your bed? Rest assured, with Tempur-Pedic Topper Supreme, achieve that restful sleep by installing the 3-inch mattress cover on your bed.
Specifically designed with comfort and support in mind, the mattress will conform to your body shape and relieve your pressure points all night long. Surely, just by a look at it, you’ll know that Tempur Pedic is a suitable mattress for back pain.
Additionally, Tempur-Pedic Topper Supreme is also sensitive to your body temperature, weight, as well as your sleeping position. You won’t need to toss and turn due to sweaty back and discomfort any longer.
Durable mattresses are those which are carefully maintained. Lucky for you, this Tempur-Pedic topper is washable and made of an innovative, proprietary material that will last you for years ahead.
Say goodbye to a dirty, smelly memory foam mattress. With Tempur Pedic ProForm Mattress Cover, you’ll make any mattress extra comfortable with its luxurious cover.
Pros:
- The high-quality, 3-inch mattress is designed with comfort in mind
- The mattress is adaptable to your body’s temperature, weight, and sleeping style
- The mattress is washable
- The mattress is made of durable, long-lasting material
Cons:
- The mattress is not made of antimicrobial material
Lucid Foam 4-Inch Mattress Topper
The thicker, the better, right? Comprises of 4-inch plush goodness that makes your back relaxes in gratefulness, Lucid Foam 4-Inch Mattress Topper is the arguably one of the best mattress for back pain. A thicker foam lets your body have more room to be cradled, thus resulting in a better spine condition than a thinner mattress.
No need to worry about overheating and sweaty back while you’re sleeping. Certified with a CertiPUR-US for excellent ventilation design, Lucid Foam 4-Inch Mattress Topper offers you breathability you won’t find anywhere else.
Additionally, Lucid Foam 4-Inch Mattress Topper is exceptionally great if you’re having trouble sleeping as well. Infused with lavender-scented oil, the mattress topper will calm your body and mind while you sink deep into a restful sleep.
Pros:
- The mattress is infused with a lavender scent for relaxation
- The mattress provides excellent breathability
- The mattress is 4-inch thick, providing a greater comfort
- The mattress comes in three years warranty
Cons:
- The mattress topper is not made of antimicrobial material
Live and Sleep Classic Memory Foam Mattress
Craving that thick, cradling comfort of a lavish memory foam mattress? With Live and Sleep Classic mattresses, that dream will not be left unfulfilled. With an HD core to maximize the comfort of your body, wake up the next morning feeling more refreshed than before.
Live and Sleep is the best mattress for back pain and is suitable for every sleeping style. Plush, breathable, and luxurious. Live and Sleep Classic mattress includes premium breathability and optimum cool comfort to keep you deep in slumber throughout the whole night.
Ensuring a hotel-like comfort, the Live and Sleep Memory Foam Mattress is complemented with a high-quality softcover and complimentary pillows. Worried about your sensitive skin or allergy? Rest assured, certified with Certi-PUR and OEKO, Live and Sleep mattresses are hypoallergenic, antibacterial, and environmental-friendly.
With Live and Sleep, easily forget all the surging pain that keeps you awake at night.
Pros:
- The mattress is made of breathable material
- The mattress is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, and eco-friendly
- Every purchase of the mattress comes with a free pillow
- The mattress is perfected with a motion isolation
- The mattress offers a 100-nights trial with 20 years warranty
Cons:
- The mattress has no cooling technology to prevent overheating
SweetNight Breeze 10-Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Are you ready to experience SweetNight after a tiring day full of work? 10-inch SweetNight Breeze gel memory foam mattress surely speaks true to its name in providing you with a comforting experience.
One distinctive feature about SweetNight Breeze is that can be flipped. With memory foam on one side and high-density supporting foam on the other side, relish in the 2-in-1 paradise of wondrous sleep with SweetNight.
Additionally, this 10-inch Breeze mattress also offers four unique layers including a zoned foam design. To make it better, the mattress is infused with cool gel to decrease heat and makes you sleep restfully.
The soft part of the mattress provides a cloud-like comfort, while the firm support ensures that your spine is aligned well. This mattress is also perfected with total motion isolation–just perfect for couples who want to sleep tossing and turning and still wake up refreshed in the morning.
SweetNight 10-inch Breeze also provides a healthier mattress choice by not including harmful substances such as formaldehyde, mercury, and metals in its production. The cover is made of rayon cotton fabric; a material that doesn’t stain easily and sustainable for mother earth.
Pros:
- The mattress offers flippable options with soft and firm sides
- The mattress has a cool gel-infused layer to keep your body cool at night
- The mattress provides total motion isolation, making it perfect for couples
- The mattress doesn’t contain harmful substances
- The mattress manufacturer offers 24/7 customer service
- The mattress comes along with a ten years warranty
Cons:
- The mattress may not suitable for a person who likes a soft mattress
- The mattress is pricey compared to other brands
SweetNight Sunkiss 12-Inch Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress
Yet another SweetNight product that everyone seems to can’t get enough of, SweetNight released an alternative option for those who desire a more firm feeling to their mattress: SweetNight 12-inch Sunkiss ventilated memory foam mattress.
SweetNight played along with the notion of “more layers aren’t necessarily better” in creating the 12-Inch thick memory foam mattress that comprises only three layers. Three inches on top are mostly gel-infused memory foam to make your body cool throughout the night, followed by three inches of airflow foam and five inches of high-density support foam. Tons of comfort and support combined into one? It does sound perfect.
Unlike other brands, SweetNight 12-Inch Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress is made of breathable foam with open cells as an airway. This way, your mattress will act as much as a temperature regulator as it is a mattress to sleep on.
Similar to the previous SweetNight mattress, SweetNight 12-Inch Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress’ cover is made of a breathable rayon cotton fabric. The material is firm, soft to touch, and easily washable and removable.
SweetNight 12-Inch mattress is also Certi-PUR US certified, meaning that its production process doesn’t involve harmful substances and material.
Pros:
- The mattress offers 12-Inch thick of comfort
- The mattress has a cool gel-infused layer to keep your body cool at night
- The mattress provides motion isolation, making it perfect for couples
- The mattress provides airflow as a temperature regulator
- The mattress doesn’t contain harmful substances
- The mattress manufacturer offers 24/7 customer service
- The mattress comes along with a ten years warranty
Cons:
- The mattress may not suitable for a person who likes a firm mattress
- The mattress is pricey compared to other brands
Modway Aveline 10-Inch Gel-Infused Memory Foam Mattress
An affordable memory foam mattress choice with a top-rated quality, Modway Aveline 10-Inch gel-infused memory foam mattress is an upcoming brand in-store that soon becomes everyone’s love. Made of only two layers: one memory foam and one poly foam, Modway Aveline is a simple, guaranteed way to achieve that restful sleep until the next morning.
Modway Aveline 10-Inch Gel-Infused Memory Foam ensures to reduce pressure on your neck, head, hips, spine, and shoulder with its thick layer of open-cell memory foam.
Coming in various sizes, Modway Aveline also provides motion isolation and edge support for couples. The motion isolation ensures that couples won’t wake each other up and can sleep at the edge of the bed without collapsing over.
If you’re allergic or sensitive to chemicals, this 10-inch Modway Aveline mattress is Certi-PUR US certified, meaning that it didn’t involve harmful chemicals in its making.
Pros:
- The mattress offers extra support for back pain sufferers
- The mattress comes in various sizes
- The mattress is Certi-PUR US certified
- The mattress is suitable for those who like medium-feel firmness
- The mattress comes in ten years warranty
- The mattress provides a 100-nights free trial
Cons:
- The mattress’s slow response doesn’t make it suitable for combo sleepers
Sleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Gel Mattress Topper
Twice the support and twice the comfort, Sleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Gel mattress topper is a 2-in-1 mattress topper with a flippable layer of quilted memory foam and cool gel memory foam.
Providing extra comfort for your sleep, the mattress topper is suitable for all kinds of sleepers–whether it’s backways or sideways, as well as for back pain sufferers.
Sleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Gel mattress topper is a great choice if you want to advance your sleep quality even better. Unlike other mattress toppers that will sink on your weight, Sleep Innovations ensure that your body is perfectly supported on a cloud-like mattress topper.
Worrying about the extra heat that comes with your mattress topper? Rest assured, injected with a cooling gel, relish in a fun, cool night full of undisturbed slumber. Forget all the sweating, you’ll wake up dry and refreshed the next morning!
Pros:
- The mattress provides 2-in-1 comfort of quilted memory foam and cool gel memory foam
- The pillow-like material ensures that the mattress topper doesn’t sink
- The mattress topper is injected with a cooling gel to avoid overheating
- The mattress comes in a ten years warranty
Cons:
- The mattress is not suitable if you don’t like soft surfaces
Classic Brands’ Cool Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Lastly, but not the least excellent in our best mattress back pain list, Classic Brands’ Cool Gel Memory Foam Mattress is specifically designed for back pain sufferers and sweaty sleepers. Providing maximum breathability, relish in the best medium-feel firmness you can only find in Cool Gel mattresses.
Cool Gel 10-Inch mattress comprises three distinctive layers: a cooling gel foam layer, a supportive airflow layer, and an HD base foam layer. The three combinations of comfort and support ensure to conform to your body, gives support, and lessen tossing and turning at night.
Additionally, Cool Gel mattresses are guaranteed with Certi-PUR US certifications, making them not only mattresses for back pain sufferers but also a healthy and environmentally-friendly mattresses for the world.
Pros:
- The mattress provides maximum breathability and self-ventilating foam
- The mattress has a cooling gel layer to prevent overheating
- The mattress comes in various sizes
- The mattress is Certi-PUR US certified
Cons:
- The mattress is not antimicrobial and hypoallergenic
How to Relieve Back Pain
While sleeping on the mattress is essential in relieving your back pain, severe back pain should be addressed professionally by a doctor as well. If you’ve gone to one and want some remedies to lessen the pain, here are some ways to make your back pain more bearable.
Be Active
Contrary to popular belief, resting an aching back will only do more harm than good. For most types of back pain such as inactivity, resting will only make your back weaker and more painful. While exercising rigorous workouts isn’t advisable, make sure to keep your body moving in simple, light movements instead of keeping it still.
Exercise Good Posture
Whether you’re suffering from back pain or not, slouching will always be bad for your body. Not only that it weakens and damages your posture, but it also makes your back pain even more severe if done continuously.
Try to sit as straight as possible when you’re sitting at your desk. If the temptation to slouch is too high, you can also put on a towel or pillow to balance your body. Additionally, make sure to keep your feet down and flat on the floor.
Physical Therapy
If your back pain is gotten unbearable, you can go to a physical therapist and ask them to guide your posture. A physical therapist will teach you how to sit, stand, and walk properly to keep your spine straight and well-aligned.
If you request advanced training, they can also give you lessons to strengthen your core muscles and spine. While a physical therapist might be costly, the lessons they teach you can help your back for a long time.
Doesn’t want to spend much money on a therapist? You can learn some beginner movements on how to strengthen your core and support your back. Having flexibility, endurance, and strength is great to reduce back pain.
Ice and Heat
Heat can loosen your muscles, while cold can lessen your pain. If you want to try an easy and cheap home remedy, try alternating between heat and cold for your back pain. For the cold, try packing ice cubes in a towel or plastic pack, meanwhile, for the heat, you can opt for a heating pad or warm towel.
To keep your skin protected from damage, consider putting fabric or a towel as a barrier from the heat and cold.
Massage
While going to a doctor is the most famous option to treat back pain, getting a hands-on massage proves to decrease pain in your back and make it more bearable.
Practiced by a licensed therapist, a spinal manipulation massage can help to ease the most chronic back pain and restore someone’s lost mobility.
Back pain is a problem that almost everyone will experience.
While not many realize it, back pain is often caused by our own bed. Therefore, it’s advised to pick not only a comfortable mattress but also a healthy one that can support your spine better.
Aside from sleeping on the right mattress, forming a healthy habit and diet is vital to ensure that your back is strengthened properly and away from further damage.
However, if you’re already suffering from back pain, you may want to pick the best mattress to relieve your back pain that is specially constructed to accommodate your needs.